The present invention relates to electronic devices and in particular an electronic device comprising a first part comprising a first key for effecting at least one key function of the electronic device, a second part comprising a second key for generating at least one key function of the electronic device, a hinge for turnably fixing the first and second pan to each other, and in relation to which hinge said first and second part can be closed against each other and opened.
Many electronic devices consist of two parts fixed to each other using a hinge. The hinged parts can be closed against each other and when opened the parts are held together by the hinge. This construction facilitates the devices to be conveniently portable, as the means that are to be activated can be arranged to be in the sides which remain inside when the parts are closed (the insides of the parts), and rigid sides can be arranged on the sides which remain outside when the parts are closed (the outsides of the parts). When the parts are closed against each other the pans to be activated remain protected from external contact and the outside walls form a protective case for the device. If the device or at least some of its functions are intended to be used also when on the move, it is possible to arrange to the outside of the parts a user interface required for controlling these functions and other parts can be covered inside the device by closing the parts against each other. Such a solution has been used e.g. in Nokia""s communicators (Nokia 9000, Nokia 9110) which comprise two parts fixed to each other using a hinge. On the inside surface of the parts it has been arranged a PDA (Personal Digital Assistant)xe2x80x94interface and on the outside surface a mobile station user interface.
It is often preferable to change the operating mode of such an electronic device according to whether the parts of the device are closed against each other (the device is closed) or not (the device is open). When the device is closed the power consuming functions inside can be switched off to save power or they can be maintained in a power saving mode. If the user interfaces both inside and outside the device are used to control at least partly the same functions their joint control can also be changed according to whether the device is open or closed. For example in such a device as the Nokia Communicator (Nokia 9000, Nokia 9110) the inside LCD (Liquid Crystal Display)xe2x80x94display can be switched off when the device is closed. It is also possible to alter the multiplexing of the key signals of the user interfaces on the inside and outside surfaces according to whether the device is open or closed.
In order to achieve such changes of mode it is required an information about the state of the device, i.e. whether the device is open or closed at the moment. However, the size on most electronic devices and that of portable devices in particular has to be optimized to be as small as possible, and accordingly the components used for the status indication should be as small, light and few as possible to save space on printed circuit boards. On the other hand the indication should be reliable, because an erroneous indication may prevent the use of the whole device.
Reference publication U.S. Pat. No. 5,148,471 describes a portable radio telephone in which the position of a key-flap moving on a hinge is detected using a separate switch construction placed in the hinge between the flap and the body of the telephone. When the opening angle of the flap exceeds a certain threshold value the switch is closed and the information about the position of the flap is transferred to the control unit of the device. Such a detection of the positions of parts requires the use of additional component which is not preferable. Further, a realization carried out in a hinge is exposed to damage due to the strain caused by movement and thus increases the sensitivity to faults of the device.
Reference publication U.S. Pat. No. 5,337,436 describes a portable telephone device comprising also an electronic notebook. In the device in order to achieve a status indication it has been added next to a normal keyboard an additional mode detection key which is pushed down when the normal keyboard is closed using a lid. This solution however requires adding an extra key in the device for status indication only.
In the present Nokia Communicators (Nokia 9000, Nokia 9110) the mode indication is generated by using in the base part of the device a relay placed inside a thin glass tube, which relay reacts to a magnet placed in a matching position in the lid part. The realization of the arrangement thus requires additional components, which exposes to component faults, increases the weight of the device and consumes circuit board space. Further, the solution is sensitive to a successful placing in the assembly stage.
Now such an electronic device has been invented, by using which the impact of the above disadvantages is reduced. A device according to the invention is characterized in that said first key and second key have been arranged to activate simultaneously in order to indicate the closing of the first and part against each other.
The object of the invention is also an electronic device according to claim 9 comprising a first part comprising a first key in order to achieve at least one key function of the electronic device, a second part comprising a second key in order to achieve at least one key function of the electronic device; a hinge in order to fix the first and second part turnably to each other, and in relation to which hinge said first and second part can be closed against each other and opened. Said device is characterized in that said first key and second key have been arranged to activate simultaneously when the first and second part are closed against each other; and said first and second key have been arranged to be released simultaneously when the first and second part are opened.
In the invention the information of the status of the parts of the device is achieved by indicating the closing by two normal keys activating simultaneously when the parts are closed against each other. Correspondingly the opening of the parts is indicated by the releasing of at least one of the keys reserved for the status indication. The status indication is in this way generated by rearranging existing resources and there is no need to add new components. A solution according to the invention saves space on printed circuit boards and reduces the possibility of manufacturing faults. At the same faults caused by the wear of a separate detector are avoided.
The invention is described in detail in the following with reference to enclosed drawings, of which